RICKSHER, Joseph 1843 - 1922

RICKSHER, CLINE, MCDONALD, CARPENTER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 4/29/2011 at 20:38:48

"The Fairfield Ledger-Journal"
Wednesday, April 19, 1922
Page 1

JOSEPH RICKSHER IS DEAD

Here Since 1871 and In active Business Continuously Until Five Years Ago

Joseph RICKSHER, one of the best known citizens of Jefferson county and for years prominent in business and banking circles in Fairfield, died this morning at 5:45 o'clock at his home 808 South Main street.

Funeral services have not been arranged, being deferred until word could come from relatives at a distance.

Mr. RICKSHER had been in declining health for twenty-eight years, but was frequently up town until a week ago, when his last illness began.

Joseph RICKSHER was born near Paderborn, Prussia, February 13, 1843. His mother died when he was but a child, and in 1854 his father brought him to America, they coming directly to Lee county, where he was educated in the common schools. In August 1862, when nineteen years of age, he enlisted for the period of the Civil War, in Company I, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry.

He was soon made a noncommissioned officer and took part in the battles of Gaines' Bluff, Arkansas.

At the close of this campaign they marched through the Carolinas and Virginia to take part in the Grand Review in Washington and was mustered out in June 1865.

He returned to Fort Madison, where he engaged in cattle buying and other businesses, finally entering the butter and egg business, which he built up to considerable proportions. He came to Fairfield in September 1871, took up the business of buying and selling butter and eggs building up operations that extended all the way to the Pacific coast.

In 1882 he established a branch house in Brighton, with T. L. Emry as a partner, and the two houses did a business reaching to a half million dollars a year. He sold out his interests in 1891.

Mr. RICKSHER married Mrs. Caroline M. CLINE (sic - Carolina 'Callie' M. CLINE CARPENTER) of Centerville, September 11, 1873. Mrs. RICKSHER dying March 6, 1902 (sic - November 6, 1902). They had four children, Dr. Charles RICKSHER of Fairfield, W. H. RICKSHER of the Panama Canal zone, Frank RICKSHER, of the Iowa State Savings bank of Fairfield and Theodore RICKSHER of Buenos Aires Argentina.

June 4, 1910 he married Miss Flora McDONALD, who survives him.

Mr. RICKSHER's business enterprises extend to other lines and in August 1908 he became president of the Iowa State Savings bank, continuing in that capacity until July 1917.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery with first wife Caroline, in Lot Old.P.262; second wife Flora is in adjacent Old Fairfield City Cemetery.